Varsities get six months to comply with UGC norms

Existing deemed universities will have six months to fully comply with the revised UGC regulations, once  the Centre notifies them in an official Gazette.

In an effort to maintain quality and standards, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has made tougher norms for setting-up and operating deemed universities.

The HRD Ministry is  in the process of notifying the revised rules the UGC approved in its meeting last week.

“There will be six months fade-in period,” Higher Education Secretary Vinay Sheel Oberoi told DH, when asked how the revised rules would apply to existing deemed universities.

Thirty-five deemed universities out of an estimated 123 across the country are UGC funded, while 88 are managed by private entities.

New rules
Revised regulations stipulate that the deemed-to-be-universities status, otherwise called deemed universities, can be accorded to institutions with Grade A certification from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) or the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), given after rigorous quality checks.

“For obtaining the status of deemed university, (institutions must have) a grading required for three cycles, the highest NAAC or NBA category at the time of application, and in the immediate NAAC or NBA cycle, and (they) should be in the top 20 of the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) list at the time of application and in the immediate two years,” the revised norms read.  NAAC or NBA grade certification is also needed for the universities to open off campuses.